Experiment - The Mako Toddler
by Circle of Phoenix
Summary: AU Experiment Series - Sephiroth has a problem. Genesis is absolutely no help. Angeal has presence. Zack has yet to appear. Cloud just wants it over and done with... Did I mention Loveless? Random One Shots as they are written. (No Pairings, yet.) Thanks to my beta Mystic 777 ((POLL NOW UP))
1. Chapter 1

The Mako Toddler

Genesis eyed the boy for several seconds as Sephiroth, the blonde's crazy father, rooted around in his make shift diaper bag for new wipes. The toddler was looking back at Genesis with a glare while the red head held the child as far from himself as he could possibly get away with. The boy was called Cloud Strife and at this time there was no better reason. The disgusted general finally upended the bag entirely, a small pile of –materia, toys, teething rings, and assorted other items fell around his ankles.

"What's the problem, General?" Genesis asked the man. Cloud's lips started to quirk down ward as the red head lifted him slightly higher to get the stench further from his nose.

"I seem to be out of wipes." Sephiroth stated softly. Green slit eyes narrowed in contemplation as Cloud shoved his fist into his mouth and began gnawing on the skin. "Why are you holding him like a feral feline?"

Genesis was not proud to admit it, however he needed to respond. It was the only way to describe that horrid smell and when you added the fact that Soldiers were enhanced it just made the entire thing torture. "My friend, the fates are cruel."

He quickly passed Sephiroth his offspring and fled.

There was no way in Minerva's name he was going to change a diaper. As a favor though he did call and order Angeal's student to retrieve more wipes for the General.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A firm thank you goes to my beta Mystic 777 for their work on this fic. I will also declare this a tribute to them. :) Thanks.

Authors Note: To pair Genesis or Angeal up with Sephiroth would be like pairing Leia Organa with the clone of Luke Skywalker. While they might not be blood related, they share the same DNA. And for me, that's kind of pushing the whole incest thing. Ew. I will say the same about Zack, Cloud, or any other SOLDIER/Jenova cell type of character. I appreciate the reviews, but no. Please continue to read and enjoy the story.

Family Structure is essentially - Sephiroth is Cloud's father, with Genesis serving the dual role of uncle/god father, and Angeal is the babysitter/uncle character. Zack can be considered an older brother/distract Cloud tool... Still working this out... and other assorted characters will be displayed as I go.

The Mako Toddler Two

"My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess." Genesis recited, his hands flicking over the letter that Sephiroth had dropped on his kitchen counter the moment he entered the room. The silver-haired man glared darkly at his friend as he settled little Cloud on his hip. The toddler's spit soaked hand quickly became entangled in the General's long silver hair.

Genesis lifted a brow when the man did nothing more than cringe and try to extricate his long hair from the boy's hands. Cloud obsessed over the color and the child loved getting his hands on the long silver locks any time he could. Sephiroth now habitually stored Masamune on the highest point of the study's walls should the boy get "mishaps".

"No, Cloud." the General said, giving Cloud a green-eyed glance.

Little Cloud's eyes narrowed at his father's decision. His lips twisted with what Genesis became convinced would become a howl of displeasure. A red brow lifted when the boy promptly twisted around and grabbed yet another handful.

Sephiroth could be stubborn, however Cloud never gave up. Neither male eagerly gave in and yet...

"There is not hate, only joy." Genesis quoted, this time earning a sharp look from Cloud. The boy's eyes had fixated on his earring, dangling from the right earlobe. "Cloud, no."

Blue eyes sparkled with mischief leaving the two SOLDIERs slightly in suspense as Cloud returned to grabbing more of his sire's silver locks.

"If I did not know any better I would think your child is planning something." Genesis declared.

Sephiroth blinked, almost lazily. "He probably is. Cloud spends a great deal of time in the company of the Turks and the SOLDIERs."

"Puppy!" Cloud screeched suddenly, lunging an arm around his father's neck and tugging sharply for attention.

"He is also fond of Second Class Fair." Sephiroth added, taking the bruising force of Cloud from his neck and setting him on the floor. There was a slight twist of the general's lips as his nose crinkled at a faint stench coming from the boy's direction. A quickly followed sound of gases and odors being released. Genesis' face turned a pasty white at the subsequent sounds of flatulence from the boy. A couple of seconds later and both SOLDIERs made faces as Cloud plopped down on his diapered behind and glared at his father in accusation. "I do not control that much, child."

"Cloud, no." the Toddler reminded his father, entirely convinced that the much unwelcome diaper change was his sire's fault.

Sephiroth continued giving his son a bland stare before holding his hand out to Genesis.

The older SOLDIER quickly handed over the black back pack at his right elbow and swiftly attempted to flee the room.

Sephiroth's hand on his shoulder forestalled any attempt to flee. His lips quirked as he shoved the bag back in Genesis's hands. The General quoted from the poem. "My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey. In my salvation and your eternal slumber."

"Just what does that mean?" Genesis declared.

"Everyone has taken a round at changing Cloud's diaper except his uncle Genesis. Think of it as a test of your heroic skills as a SOLDIER." Sephiroth responded. "Time to face the legendary task of changing a diaper."

Cloud's face darkened as the two men glared at one another. With his luck though another SOLDIER had entered the apartment and took stock of the situation. Slowly, the larger man approached the two slender SOLDIERs and removed the diaper bag from Genesis's limp fingers. "If the two of you cannot bear the task of simply changing a small child's diaper I will do it. Just remember that you will be the ones to face the light of day tomorrow when all of SOLDIER hears about this."

Angeal reached down, hefted Cloud up, and went to work securing the child into a clean diaper. "Did you eat the Puppy's broccoli soup again, Cloud?"

The toddler grinned at the man as soon as he was done. Cloud rarely cried beyond a few sniffles, but it was the brooding the child did that truly terrified the man. Very few people had been able to bring Cloud out of that stage once it set in, and Zack had the most success.

"Angeal, welcome back."

"I sent a letter informing you I would return today. Perhaps if either of you bothered to check the mail once in a while..." Angeal responded, setting Cloud back on the floor so he could toddle off and bash their pans around if his line of sight was any indication. The heavy cabinet doors rattled as Cloud plopped down and stared at the child safety locks for a few minutes. "What are those?"

"A new invention of Reno's. We're trying them out for the poor guy." Genesis responded. "Cloud figured out how to open locks last week."

"So I see," Angeal responded. "Sephiroth, you have spit in your hair."

"Cloud's eternal attempts to ingest my hair have not gone unnoticed, Angeal." Sephiroth responded dryly. "Is there anything else you would like to comment on?"

There was a thoughtful expression as Angeal considered seriously lecturing the two men once more before shrugging. "We shall have to see, however you might want to get Cloud away from the living room. He seems rather focused on destroying the Loveless collection."

For some inexplicable reason, Cloud had come to hate that play. His little fingers destroyed any copy that fell into his hands. Sephiroth firmly denied goading the child into these actions while Genesis insisted the child had no respect for the classics.

Genesis twitched as Sephiroth rescued his beloved books from the wandering toddler and let out a quite sigh as the man carried his son past, with the boy firmly gnawing on the single book he had been given once his existence became known to the Generals. A chew toy for a teething baby... Cloud's glowing blue eyes shifted to the red haired commander's and something about the toddler's determined expression sent a shiver down his back.

Unable to name the emotion, Genesis simply stated. "Legend shall speak, of sacrifice at worlds end. The wind sails over the waters surface, quietly, but surely."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Belated happy birthday to my beta Mystic 777 who has done some amazing things with writing. :D

Cloud stared sullenly at the back of his father's head. He was in his father's office, sitting on a large square of blue carpet that was piled high with blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. There was even a small child sized cot sitting close to the wall that had padded down by the company. The carpet was Cloud's office 'space' and it acted as an open play area and a time out. The toddler was in time out for the third time that morning and he had yet to understand why. His glowing blue eyes narrowed at his father's movements when the General turned to look at him briefly.

Letting his bottom lip jut out and grasping the shoulder straps of his coveralls Cloud pouted. He hated the new coveralls. The snapping ones were so much easier to get out of however his latest escapades had changed things quickly. Streaking through a giant room filled with 'news people' and important business con-fences after turning the SOLDIERs floor 4 and 9 upside down with his antics had driven his father to new extremes. The TURKs had only recently stopped taunting the SOLDIERs with the knowledge that their general was routinely beaten by a two year old.

"Dada." He said softly, a mere whisper of sound that brought the Mako enhanced Soldier to his feet. The blond boy's watery eyes drew others to him. "Dada, please?"

It was a stalemate. Sensitive mako ears versus the possibility of complete hysteria on Cloud's part. He had not yet finished his time out and after rubbing the cafeteria food across the walls there was no way he could even consider...

Cloud's eyes dribbled a little tear.

"Sleep, your incarceration time will seem to pass faster," He 'suggested' because he couldn't order the boy around like one of his soldiers. He wasn't going to bargain with the child because that set Cloud up for people to take advantage of him later in life, according to the printouts he had read at the library.

"Cloud, no." Came the response. The toddler wrinkled his nose as he waited.

"Nap." Sephiroth countered firmly.

It took a moment but the little blond was able to get to his feet and by that time the general had moved to intercept Cloud's escape from the carpet. Cradled against his father Cloud pressed his ear to Sephiroth's chest to listen to his heart. Blue eyes blinked after a few moments of staying put and he quietly yawned.

He would figure out how to escape the coveralls later. Right now he had Dada right where he wanted him.

Sephiroth sighed. Crisis diverted.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mama." Zack repeated again as he held the picture in front of his face for the second time.

Cloud scrunched his nose up before responding with a firm declaration about the subject of the photo. "Daddy."

"Yes. Daddy. Mama too." Zack insisted knowing full well he was starting a losing debate with Cloud. The blond had begun to show signs of shyness and the dark haired SOLDIER was trying to get the toddler to accept some of the female TURKS.

That of course had nothing to do with his recent attempts to get Cloud to help horrify the other Firsts with the new name. "Say mama or mum or mommy or something. Please Cloud?"

"..." Cloud's response remained firmly locked behind the blonde's teeth for two minutes before he shook his head no.

Zack groaned, running a hand down his face before brightening. "Well. I guess I'll just have to dress up as a puppy for the banquet tomorrow. So what if Angeal gets a bit mad. It'll be worth it."

Cloud furrowed his brow. Banquet was a new word though daddy often used bigger words. "Puppy!" He exclaimed when Zack brought up the nickname. He loved Zack as much as he loved Daddy. Zack was the best puppy a boy could ever know. He knew that cause his uncles often told him that.

Zack was rewarded with a rarely earned hug for his efforts. 


End file.
